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Statement by the Fifth International Solidarity Meeting on West Papua, Manila

See also below: West Papua Solidarity Meeting clarification

IID/West Papua Action - May 1, 2005

For the first time in its six-year history the International Solidarity Campaign for West Papua faced intimidation at its meeting held in Manila over the weekend of 29 April-1 May 2005. When the human-rights gatherings were held in Europe and in the Pacific, Indonesian authorities did not dare to attempt to sabotage the meetings. However, when the Meeting was scheduled to be held in Manila, the Indonesian Government tried to put a stop to it. Fortunately, despite direct appeals to the Manila Government for a ban the event went ahead and was a great success.

Philippines host for the meeting, Initiatives for International Dialogue said "We were disturbed that the Indonesian Government tried to get the meeting stopped, but we are pleased that the Philippines Government has hopefully learnt the lesson of East Timor, when they tried to stop a similar meeting at this venue from going ahead."

"It has been reported that the Indonesian authorities complained to the President of the Philippines Senate and also protested to the Department of Foreign Affairs urging that the meeting be banned. The Board of the University of the Philippines was also approached, but we are delighted that they were emphatic that the meeting should take place and allowed it to go ahead on their campus.

Our organizers and delegates came under some annoying verbal harassment from pro-Jakarta elements but those problems pale into insignificance once we consider that West Papuan people cannot discuss any issues about their political aspirations without facing military repression."

"We will send a message to thank the University of the Philippines for its commitment to academic freedom, in the face of this unwarranted pressure." The meeting was attended by representatives from fifteen countries with especially strong representation from Asia.

Delegates decided to intensify the international campaign in support of the aspirations of the West Papuan people. They called for open and unfettered access to West Papua. Urgent priority will be given to the international campaign for an end to all military co-operation and all arms sales to Indonesia.

The Meeting called for the release of all West Papuan political prisoners wherever they are being held in West Papua or in Indonesia.

Delegates called for stronger support for West Papuan women's groups and for the implementation of national and international laws to protect West Papuan women against all forms of violence in the home and from Indonesian state forces.

The meeting strongly condemned the decision by the Indonesian Authorities to increase the number of Indonesian troops in West Papua, in particular the deployment of KOSTRAD (Strategic Reserve Force) troops there, bringing the planned total number of troops in West Papua to 50,000. It expressed warm support for calls by the West Papuan people for their homeland to become a LAND OF PEACE, in face of the decision by the Indonesian authorities for the militarisation of West Papua.

The Meeting expressed its thanks to Initiatives for International Dialogue for organising the Meeting.

Manila, Philippines, 1st of May 2005

Contact: Mark Doris, West Papua Action: 09284155297

Initiatives for International Dialogue: 09209094104, 09215040612, (6382) 2992574/75, (6382) 2992052.

West Papua Solidarity Meeting clarification

May 3, 2005

The Steering Committee of the International Solidarity Meetings on West Papua would like to reply to, correct, and clarify reports in a number of Indonesian media of its Fifth International Meeting held in Manila from 29 April to 1 May. (1)

Representatives from many Asian countries, including from Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia, East Timor, Burma, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines joined with representatives from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland to hear about the daily suffering of the West Papuan. The meeting heard about the suffering of women in West Papua in particular and the violence perpetrated against them. It also heard how the Republic of Indonesia routinely refuses full access to West Papua by the international media and NGOs.

"What does the Republic of Indonesia have to hide?" said Mark Doris of West Papua Action, one of the organizers of the Meeting. "If there is nothing to hide, we call on the Republic of Indonesia to allow immediate and unfettered access to the international media and NGOs so that they can see for themselves the conditions under which the West Papuan people are living."

The Steering Committee congratulates the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the University of the Philippines for not trying to stop this important international meeting from taking place, despite protests and provocation from the Government of the Republic of Indonesia.

Contact: Mark Doris, West Papua Action, member of Steering Committee of ISMWP. Tel. 09284155297 (Philippines)
 

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